Wireless communication systems typically include wireless access nodes which provide access to communication services for wireless communication devices over wireless links. In Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication systems, a user operates a wireless communication device, referred to as User Equipment (UE), to communicate with an eNodeB base station for data services over the LTE access network. To facilitate the provision of these data services, LTE communication systems often employ an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The IMS is designed to enable delivery of real-time multimedia services to communication devices operated by users requesting these services. The IMS provides a control system to enable the exchange of Internet Protocol (IP) packets for Voice over IP (VoIP), Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi), and VoLTE calls, streaming media sessions, and other data transfer services. The IMS typically utilizes the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to facilitate communication session setup and tear-down. Essentially, the IMS operates as a horizontal control layer that isolates an access network from the service layer that provides the content or services requested by the users.
Certain users may be afforded prioritized treatment on the LTE access network. For example, the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and Wireless Priority Service (WPS) are federally-administered services that provide priority access for authorized users of various agencies. Calls placed through GETS and WPS should receive priority over standard calls, enabling communication even during heavy network congestion.
Overview
A method to facilitate priority services for wireless communication devices utilizing an evolved packet data gateway (ePDG) of a data communication system is disclosed. The method comprises, in the ePDG, receiving an attachment request transmitted from a priority wireless communication device over an internet communication network and responsively transferring a create session request to a packet data network gateway (P-GW). The method further comprises, in the P-GW, receiving the create session request and responsively transferring a credit control request to a policy and charging rules function (PCRF). The method further comprises, in the PCRF, receiving the credit control request and responsively determining that the priority wireless communication device has a priority modification requirement, generating modified priority data for the priority wireless communication device based on the priority modification requirement, and transferring a credit control answer with the modified priority data to the P-GW. The method further comprises, in the P-GW, receiving the credit control answer with the modified priority data and responsively creating a default bearer between the ePDG and the P-GW for the priority wireless communication device with priority service based on the modified priority data.
A data communication system to facilitate priority services for wireless communication devices utilizing an evolved packet data gateway (ePDG) of the data communication system comprises the ePDG, a packet data network gateway (P-GW), and a policy and charging rules function (PCRF). The ePDG is configured to receive an attachment request transmitted from a priority wireless communication device over an internet communication network and responsively transfer a create session request to the P-GW. The P-GW is configured to receive the create session request and responsively transfer a credit control request to the PCRF. The PCRF is configured to receive the credit control request and responsively determine that the priority wireless communication device has a priority modification requirement, generate modified priority data for the priority wireless communication device based on the priority modification requirement, and transfer a credit control answer with the modified priority data to the P-GW. The P-GW is configured to receive the credit control answer with the modified priority data and responsively create a default bearer between the ePDG and the P-GW for the priority wireless communication device with priority service based on the modified priority data.